LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani’s debut in the World Series represents a monumental occasion in sports, particularly for Japan.
According to ticket broker StubHub, fans from Ohtani’s native country purchased more tickets for the initial two games than any other region outside North America. Dodgers Stadium was fully packed on Friday night as the Los Angeles Dodgers began their series against the New York Yankees.
“Ohtani’s first season with the Dodgers has sparked significant international interest, especially from Japan,” said a StubHub representative. “At the season’s outset, Japanese buyers accounted for 22% of all Dodgers game tickets sold. This enthusiasm surrounding the anticipated MVP has continued into the World Series, where Japan is leading in ticket sales outside of North America for the games in Los Angeles.”
This interest is not unexpected, considering Ohtani’s rise to become a symbol of national pride akin to figures like Lionel Messi in Argentina or Wayne Gretzky in Canada.
Before his tenure with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani was already revered in Japan, but his fame has accelerated since signing with the powerful Dodgers, where he had an incredible 50-home run and 50-stolen base season. This achievement not only secured his first playoff appearance but also likely his third MVP accolade.
Ohtani’s influence is vast, but the spotlight is even brighter on the Dodgers in Japan due to rookie Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who recently joined Los Angeles with a $325 million contract after Ohtani’s signing.
So how significant is this World Series in Japan?
When Yamamoto is set to pitch Game 2 at Chavez Ravine, it will coincide with Sunday morning in Japan. Interestingly, the widely-loved anime series “One Piece” has announced a one-week delay for the premiere of its latest 21-episode arc to avoid airing concurrently with the baseball game.
While Yamamoto may not be a “One Piece” enthusiast, Ohtani has expressed his enjoyment of both the anime and manga. Even Yankees player Jazz Chisholm Jr. is a fan, sporting a chain featuring the show’s main character, Monkey D. Luffy.
The heightened excitement in Japan is evident even beyond the Dodgers.
During Game 5 of the Dodgers-Padres National League Division Series, history was made as Yamamoto faced off against San Diego’s Yu Darvish, marking the first postseason clash of pitchers born in Japan. This game also featured three Japanese-born players starting for the first time in MLB playoff history. The event attracted around 13 million viewers in Japan, roughly 10% of the nation’s population, who tuned in to see the Dodgers triumph over the Padres 2-0.
“I truly believe this will be a World Series of global proportions,” asserted Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “I maintain that more viewers will be glued to this World Series than any other series throughout baseball’s history.”